Last night I was out on the kayak exploring some new bodies of water near where I work and hit the jackpot.  Huge expanses of weed beds, deep winding river-fed channels and one end of the lake was in the path of a tornado a few years ago so there are trees everywhere in the water both in the middle and along the shore.  Fish were very active and I caught a few 2-3lbers and a few pickerels but nothing too crazy size-wise.  While I was navigating one such weed bed along the point of a small island though, I heard a large splash and caught a glimpse of what looked like a fish taking a whack at a duck in a very shallow back corner.  As I crept over to that area to work some bait through it just in case that's what really had happened, I saw a turtle shell poking out of the water in the pads.  Turtles are extremely common around here but this one wasn't moving so after I couldn't get a bite in that area I went to investigate.  

 

This is what I saw.  

 

 

 

The turtle was about the size of my whole hand, and if you can't tell there are two very distinct bite marks that have crushed completely through its shell.  One at about the shoulders of the turtle and another around the hips.  Looking at the shape of the mouth marks I'm thinking possibly largemouth or catfish since another turtle would have scissored this thing in half but do LMB have the jaw strength to do that or is it more likely that it's a catfish, etc?  This is Western massachhusetts btw.    

 

I honestly do not know what's most likely and it's been on my mind since I saw it.  If that was a fish, that's an absolute monster no matter the species.  Between the possibility of a duck strike and also a turtle in a very close proximity I'd like to see what you guys think did this.  Thanks for reading!    

 

My guess would be a propeller.  Is there a prize?

My guess would be a propeller.  Is there a prize?

 

 

 

See, I considered that when I was there but looking at it the curvature of the top bite looked like it would have been nearly impossible for a prop to do.  Also the depth would be the most in the middle of the break, which was not the case- it looked to be a break comprising of even pressure across the face of the fracture.  Also props tend to chop and slice a lot and make a big mess, this looked more like a crushing force to be honest.  

 

I suppose it could be, but from the mechanism of the injury I would lean towards something other than a prop.  

My guess would be a propeller.  Is there a prize?

A bowl of turtle soup

A small prop when the engine started up the turtle was near the boat looking for an easy meal. It's a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Or it bit someone's hook and they hit it with a machetti

It looks like something bit it. Looking at the way the marks aren't parallel, I'd rule out a prop. Do you have any gators up there?

Couldn't have been a gator if you are that far North. You said the turtle was the size of your hand, that's a small turtle. Could have been a land animal. Since turtles come out to sun themselves. Lol we are trying to be turtle CSI`s

That definitely looks like something bit it. Maybe it was a mammal, do you guys have Otters up there? It could have been while the turtle was on land, maybe a Raccoon, Bobcat, or small Black Bear...

That definitely looks like something bit it. Maybe it was a mammal, do you guys have Otters up there? It could have been while the turtle was on land, maybe a Raccoon, Bobcat, or small Black Bear...

 

 

These were my other thoughts, but most of the land mammals I could think of would have totally ruined it- big teeth and such, y'know?  I feel like even a dog would have shredded this thing and the shape of the bite would be very different.  If this is a bite it would have been something with big fat hard lips, no big teeth and strong jaws that gave it a 1-2 punch and spit it out.  This is why I asked here- figured some of you may have seen this before. 

 

 

Also no this is Massachusetts so no gators, no otters and this was definitely too big/wide of a bite pattern to be a raccoon or coyote.  

 

 

Still not completely ruling out a prop but...  Well...  that's no fun to talk about on a fishing forum either haha  

It looks like someone hit it with a paddle...what did you say you were doing out there again?  J/k man...but it does not look like a bite to me- looks like someone killed a turtle.

Clearly the bite of a squatch

I am  going with an angry Pacu....lol.

I'm gonna say either a person whacked it with something or it was a prop.

I know muskies will ****** ducks. I'm not sure if they would do that to a turtle or even if you would have any there. They recently put some in the ponds around here to "manage fish populations" but mostly they are just tearing everything up and eating the larger animals, birds and what not. 

I know muskies will ****** ducks.

 

I didn't realize that was an explicit term. I meant take, eat, grab. Something like that.

Somebody whacked it. 

Clearly the bite of a squatch

x2

looks pretty squatchy to me.

LC

I can answer this one, been there done that and got the t-shirt........a 220 conibear trap.

That, or the Chupacabra (Chupatortuga)...

x2

looks pretty squatchy to me.

LC

 

 

 

Agreed.  Totally squatchy.  

DANNNNNNNNG! If a LMB did that, I want to catch him! 

Outboard engine propeller running at planning speed, the pitch or distance between each slice is even a classic damage.

Tom

Have you guys had any UFO sightings up that way?  Turtle could have been abducted.

My guess is a large turtle, was going to have small turtle for dinner.

My guess is a large turtle, was going to have small turtle for dinner.

I totally agree. A large snapper could have done this easily.